l Spiritual Assembly.

The purchase of the Temple site--reasonable in sum, reasonable in area, and
excellent in position--brought great joy to his heart.

He is indeed proud of the achievements of the believers of Australia and
New Zealand, and the well-balanced, intelligent and persevering manner in
which they go about their business.

He hopes that the private bill you are planning to have passed in the
Upper House, and which will give the Baha'is legal recognition, will go
through successfully. In view of the precedent of the Canadian Parliament
when a special Act was passed, legalizing the status of the Baha'is in
that country, he feels that you should not have much difficulty in
Australia.

He is hoping that, after the Ridvan elections, good news will reach him of
the formation of many more new Spiritual Assemblies in both Australia and
New Zealand. The multiplication of Baha'i Centers is, at the present stage
of the development of the Cause, of the greatest importance. In the first
place, it means that news of the coming of Baha'u'llah is being made
available to a greater number of the population; and in the second place,
it broadens the foundation of the national institutions which must elect
the International House of Justice. Believers in centres that possess a
relatively large voting list should bear in mind that at this time it is
highly important and acceptable in the sight of God to disperse and carry
the Message to new Centres, both outside the country and within it.

Your Assembly should bear in mind the necessity, in the future at any
rate, of having firmly grounded local Assemblies in all of the States of
Australia and New Zealand; and also the importance of increasing the
representation of the minority races, such as the Aborigines and the
Maoris, within the Baha'i Community. Special effort should be made to
contact these people and to teach them; and the Baha'is in Australia and
New Zealand should consider that every one of them that can be won to the
Faith is a precious acquisition.

As he surveys the progress being made throughout the Baha'i world, he is
particularly pleased with that achieved in the Antipodes. The soundness,
healthiness and vigour of the Baha'i Community "down under" is a source of
great joy to him, and he feels is an example to the Baha'is in other
continents of the globe.

He remembers the members of your Assembly and all the dear Baha'i pioneers
and those labouring at hom